A Smile Meant Just For Her
by Tinkerbell128
Summary: There's a difference between losing someone and saying Goodbye, once and for all. Sad OneShot written preDH. HarryGinny


**Author's Notes**:  
I found this little one-shot as I was doing a major cleaning process of my computer. It was written before the seventh book came out. I remember writing it so I could prepare myself if the worst were to happen in Deathly Hallows. Fortunately for me and the hundreds of thousands of Harry Potter fans, all ended well : ) Yay.  
Anyway, thought I might as well post it in here. Enjoy.

* * *

Ginny sat on the grass next to the small pond that was part of The Weasley's land. The pond, a little far beyond the woods, sat there with water lilies resting on its smooth surface and water ripples appearing every once in a while. Ginny peered over at the surface and saw her face. Her tear-stained cheeks, the dark bags under her eyes and the sadness that shadowed her once bright and beautiful chocolate eyes. It had been just a week since the Wizarding world had been rid of the most unwanted dark wizard of all time. One week since the biggest battle the Wizarding World had ever seen had taken place. One week since that terrible night where many had died fighting for freedom and for a chance at a better future. One week since she had gained many things but lost so much more. One week since Harry Potter, the love of her life, the man of her dreams, had died to protect her, her family and the whole magical community.  
_  
_  
She remembered that night. It was fixed in her memory, every single little detail stuck to her mind and there was nothing she could do to get it out. Nothing at all. She remembered his bright emerald eyes looking over at her, asking for her to understand what had to be done. But she had absolutely refused to agree with him.

_"Ginny, please..." he had pleaded. _

"No,"' she had replied over and over again.

"Ginny you can't go out there, you'll get killed. Please just stay inside. Stay away from the danger. Keep yourself safe."

'Keep yourself safe'. She repeated the words in her head. It was the one thing that Harry had ever asked of her that she had never done. She remembered being left inside the Great Hall in Hogwarts where all other students were being 'kept safe' from the danger of the battle that had taken place on the grounds of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. The castle, at least the inside of it, was still to be harmed and all under age wizards and witches were using the fireplaces to Floo to the safety of their houses. 

Ron looked from his fuming sister to his exasperated best friend and tried to reason with the stubborn red headed witch.

"Ginny please just stay here. Watch out for everyone in here that can't defend themselves. If the protection spells on the walls are broken, who knows what will happen. Just make sure everyone gets home safely."

"Ron, I'll repeat myself once more,' she said stubbornly ignoring Hermione's protests and Harry's frustrated glares, "I am going out there to fight with you!"'

"Ginny, you don't understand. This is nothing like it was in the Department of Mysteries, or at Hogwarts when the Death Eaters managed to get in. This is so much more dangerous than all that. Please just stay here," Hermione asked her, tears glistening in her eyes, desperation clearly shown as she tried to convince Ginny.

Ginny just lowered her head.

"Hermione, it's you who doesn't understand. I can't - and won't_ - just sit here, while you three go and risk your lives. Do you know what it's like to be left in the dark, not knowing if something is going to happen to those you love most? Please, just try to understand!" the red-head had whispered. _

"Ginny! Listen to me! You have to stay inside, it's too dangerous for you to -'

But the rest of Harry's sentence was interrupted when they heard an explosion from outside. All four of them glanced out the window and saw two Death Eaters smiling triumphantly over three bodies that now lay on the ground unmoving, dead.

Harry looked back at Ginny. She knew that they were thinking the same thing. There was no stopping Ginny from going out there and fighting for what she believed in, fighting for a freedom that was so longed, it hurt to even consider a future where no Voldemort was present and everyone could live happily.  
They heard more shouts and screams from outside, undoubtedly from dangerous duels that had taken place.  
Harry quickly returned his gaze once more to Ginny and spoke to her, though he did not know it, for the very last time.

"Just promise me you'll take care of yourself and you'll watch out. If you see that it's too much for you to handle, then run. Just run away, get out of there. Please."

Ginny nodded. "I promise."

Although a protesting Ron remained, there was nothing to be done as the four of them exited the Great Hall and opened the front doors to the school where they had once felt safe. The one place where they had always thought that nothing bad was ever going to happen there. But alas, they realised that there was no such thing. Nowhere was safe.Dueling more fiercely that she ever had, Ginny could see out of the corner of her eye Harry approach Voldemort. Then everyone just stopped when they heard Harry Potter and Voldemort confront each other. All wizards and witches, werewolves, Inferi, Death Eaters, giants, Goblins and house elves just stood there watching the interaction between the greatest darkest wizard of all time and the only one who had ever escaped from his attacks. He Who Must Not Be Named and The Boy Who Lived.

Ginny however was finding it hard to breath as she watched the two duel. Words were spoken by each, but her brain barely registered. Her eyes were drawn to Harry and wouldn't budge from his figure. She sighed in relief as Harry dodged curse after curse. And then, suddenly, it was over. She watched transfixed, as Voldemort fell to the ground dead. It took most a second to realise what had happened. A second for everything to sink in. And when that second passed, all of the Dark Lord's followers started to Dissaparate or disappear frantically. It was finally over.  
And between the commotion of Aurors trying to capture the remaining Death Eaters, Harry turned to look her way and their eyes locked. It was at the beginning of a smile on his lips, that she saw a green flash of light behind him and a scream of rage. He had no warning. The Avada Kedavra hit him and when he fell forward, Ginny saw an enraged Bellatrix Lestrange holding her wand maniacally and pointing to the spot where Harry had stood, alive, seconds before. It was then it hit her. Harry Potter had just died. He had died, the ghost of a smile on his lips. A smile meant for her. 

Ginny snapped back to reality and forced that scene away from her mind once more. It was haunting her and it always would. Harry's eyes moments before he had died already invaded her nightmares and she couldn't let them take over her mind during the day as well. A tear fell from her eye and ran across her cheek. She didn't even notice when she cried anymore. It was such a usual habit now. How was she going to do this? How was she going to live without him? Was it even possible? She hated him for leaving her here, all alone. What use was living the life she had always hoped for when she had lost the one man who made her happy?

She would give anything to have him back. She just wanted to be in his arms again. Feel his body pressed again hers and his arm encircling her, his smooth voice telling her that everything was going to be alright. She had lost him and now, she realised, she was never going to be able to tell him how she felt about him. How she had _truly_ felt. She was never going to be able to tell him that he was the only man she ever wanted to be with. The only man she had ever loved. The only man who she dreamed she would get to marry someday. But now, her dreams were shattered because he was gone and he had left her behind.

Ginny got up and gave a final look at the pond before going back to The Burrow. Sometimes, she thought she was just her eleven year old self that had sat by the pond, years ago, thinking of the famous Harry Potter and what he would think of her when he saw her. But that was absurd. He had left and there was nothing she could do. She would never again be able to say she loved him and hear him say it back. She would never once again feel that happiness.

But she had to pull herself together. Harry wouldn't have wanted her to be like this. She knew it. She couldn't lock herself away from everything and everyone. She had to take care of herself, just like she had promised him. Harry may have been gone but others needed her. Now more than ever.

A sad smile graced her lips as she saw the crooked building that was her home. Because she realised, this wasn't goodbye. It was more of an 'Until we meet again'. You see, if there was one thing Ginny Weasley knew for certain, was that she would meet him again. And when that moment came, she knew he'd smile when he saw her. And that smile would be meant just for her.


End file.
